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A7sII Wish List
  • aldolegaaldolega

    What do you think are the minimum specs the A7sII will need?

    What specs do you hope to see?

    What do you predict it will actually release with, realistically?

    My Minimums:

    Basically, match the A7rII's new features:

    • The new sensor design/features
    • Internal 4K up to 30p
    • 1080/60
    • 5-axis IBIS

    plus

    • resolution bump- even a MP or two
    • some improvement in ISO and rolling shutter (even if tiny)

    Both just for marketing reasons- New! Improved!

    • Price within $200 of A7rII.

    My Hopes:

    • Kill the rolling shutter! Get it to the RX10II level or lower, at least in APS-C mode. Preferably in FF too, but up to GH4 levels would be acceptable I guess.
    • Improve the color science/skin tones/highlight response/etc. Don't go completely down the Canon road, but at least get it out of the Weird Sony Colors parking lot.
    • A slight MP bump- enough for the APS-C 4K to be pixel-to-pixel, instead of upscaled from 2.7K like the mkI. Not sure what this would work out to for the total MP bump, but photo-wise I'd be very happy with anywhere from 15-22MP. Hopefully the numbers for binning/scaling/etc needed for the full frame video mode would work out well.
    • A substantial improvement in the IBIS- get it to the Olympus level, at least. Maybe a few different more specialized modes- one for panning, one for gimbal use, one for trying to hold a locked-off shot, one for photo?
    • 10-bit 4:2:2 internal
    • 4K/60, at least in APS-C mode. Maybe do 4k/48 in FF?
    • Clean 1080p120 and maaybe 240? 120 should look just as good as non-slomo.
    • Another, even smaller crop mode- something roughly m4/3 or s16 size. Maybe do the super HFR stuff in this if necessary (in 1080p).
    • Some sort of half-electronic shutter mode for photos- I want to be able to sync flashes at 1/1000th like my old Nikon D70! And without rolling shutter...
    • The mkI's low-light/ISO performance is still ridiculous so I don't really see a need for improvement here, unless it can be done without changing these other improvements. A lower minimum ISO for S-Log would be cool.
    • Bigger battery, or at least try to optimize the cam's power consumption. Probably won't ever get it close to the GH4 level but somewhere in that direction would be nice.
    • Get the video AF up to par with Canon's Dual Pixel AF.
    • Price lower than A7rII.

    My predictions

    • 16MP
    • 4K/30
    • 1080/120 that isn't quite clean. Faster modes with binning/skipping compromises
    • Same IBIS and AF performance as the A7rII. Same battery, body, etc
    • Improved rolling shutter but still not at RX10II levels
    • Same Sony color
    • Same price as A7rII.
    • Claimed one-stop improvement in ISO/low-light (so they can market OMGONEMILLIONISO!!!). More like a half stop when tested.
    • Still ISO3200 for S-Log.
    • Still 8-bit 4:2:0 recording, 8-bit 4:2:2 HDMI output.

    What do you think?

  • 14 Replies sorted by
  • apefosapefos

    I think 4k will not be 60fps now, they will do it in future cameras.

    It would be amazing to see some kind of HDR video as the A7000 rumors are saying...

    To get 3840 x 2160 4k in APS-C Super 35mm sensor area, the Full Frame sensor must be 5760 x 3240 for video and 5760 x 3840 for 3:2 photo, so it must be 22.118.400 pixels. I think the same processor used in A7R II can do the full sensor readout without pixel binning or line skipping when recording the full frame sensor in 5760 x 3240, or a little better processor, or a dual processor. This pixels count with the new sensor technology similar to A7R II can be great in low light up to iso 6400 which is enough.

  • firstbasefirstbase

    As long as we're wishing, I'd also like it to solicit new biz, shoot and edit by itself and invoice the client. ; )

  • apefosapefos

    In the real world, at least until robots get very intelligent, this is called employees and trainees. maybe the manufacturers can give us free employees bundled with the cameras to get more camera sales in this competitive photo/video/cine market. Buy this new camera and get one year free slave for all your tasks, so each year we buy another camera and get another better slave with more skills. It will be interesting to see the companies advertising the skills from their bundled slaves. "Our slaves know how to do, they read all pages from the instruction manual, they are creative and talented, sit back, relax, and they will do the job... and bring you a coffe at the end of work."

  • babypandababypanda

    for an additional fee, the slaves will also rub your temples. cameras are going to max out on specs soon, so that's the only way they'll be able to get an edge over competitors.

  • DrDaveDrDave

    Automated panning via lens shift.

  • IronFilmIronFilm

    As long as we're wishing, I'd also like it to solicit new biz, shoot and edit by itself and invoice the client. ; )

    I'll take this 'one' feature over anything, nope.... change that: Over ALL of what aldolega listed!

  • cls105cls105

    I came here to read desired features and i mainly see unrelated comments :/

    I want ibis, internal 4k, slog 3

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    10-bit 4:2:2 internal

    422 (and 444) color is not very good match with low res sensors. To get full use of it you need multiple sensors or downsampling.

    Also 10-bit means changed log modes (if you will need them in normal DR scenes at all).

  • RRRogerRRRoger

    Programmable shutter button I want to start Video with shutter button or take a picture while recording Video Actually I want all buttons and dials individually programmable for all functions. It really bothers me to have both front and rear dial doing the same thing.

  • theconformisttheconformist

    @RRRoger I find setting the AEL lock button to rec works perfectly

  • RRRogerRRRoger

    I sent my A7sII back. I had plenty of problems but the 1080P120 2.2 crop was the final straw as it did not work in low light. At the necessary ISO 8000 the image was so full of noise as to be worthless.

    I will keep my A7s until a CamCorder with that or better low light sensor comes out.

  • nomadnomad

    Other than in the A7R II the sensor didn't change.

    Plus, S-Log3 with only 8 bits to record it is total BS.

    I'll stick to my A7S with a Shogun.

  • RRRogerRRRoger

    I think we need to start a A7sIII wish list. One with bigger buttons in the right places. "My menu", totally customizable. New processor capable of 4kP60 Uncropped 1080P120 Unlimited Video record times New Codec, at least up to 200 Mbps New body or at least a better heat sink that last more than 4 minutes of 4k before shutting down. Bigger battery or at least a grip with two additional ones.

  • aldolegaaldolega

    As someone who's been considering jumping from the GH4 to the A7rII, but can wait, I have been secretly hoping that the A7III impresses. If its MP count stays about the same, it seems like it could theoretically work out perfectly in the areas I care about. I don't need 42MP stills, but I do need less jello in video- I'd happily trade half of those MP for GH4-level rolling shutter performance (hopefully better) and improved lowlight/noise performance. The A7s/A7sII lowlight is nice, but I don't really need its very upper reaches- I would be more than happy with a clean 25,600, or even 12,800. A clean, uncropped 1080p120 would be great, but I'd be satisfied with something like the A7sII's mode, just with an APS-C/s35 crop instead of 2.2x.

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